Selective call system



Oct. 31, 1933. c. BATTEGAY 1,933,088

SELECTIVE CALL SYSTEM Filed Feb. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Comm/7i Baflega ORNEY.

Oct. 31, 1933. Q BATTEGAY 1,933,088

SELECTIVE CALL SYSTEM Filed Feb. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

(ans am fiaffega y A TTORNE Y.

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 v I ,V 1,933,088

PATENT; OFFICE SELECTIVE CALL SYSTEM Constant Battegay, Levallois-Perret, France, as-

signor to Societe anonyme des Ateliers Brillie Freres, Levallois-Perret, Seine, France, a corporation of France Application February 28, 1931, Serial No. 519,112, and in .France March 6, 1930 5 Claims.

My invention relates to selective call systems particularly to those adapted for telephonic or signalling arrangements. It has for its object to control the calls by means of very simple and reliable apparatus.

It consists chiefly in selecting calls or signals by means of the time interval elapsing between two or more successive current impulses.

It has also for its object certain features and arrangements to be disclosed hereinafter.

My invention may be understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings of a form of execution taken by way of example.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows diagrammatically ,a selective call executed according to my invention and adapted for use with telephonic plants. This figure corresponds to the called station.

Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the same selective call adapted for use both at the called and at the calling station.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showing of an automatically released call control button.

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 2 wherein a reversing switch is provided.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of a receiving station adapted for signalling purposes.

Figures 6 and '7 are diagrammatic perspective views illustrating modified forms of the invention.

According to my invention, I use only two current impulses, a positive and a negative impulse for instance and the selection is provided through the time interval elapsing between the two impulses. To this end, each station should be provided with a time-measuring device the accuracy of which increases with the number of different calls or signals used and the maximum time allowed for selecting. This device may be either a time-piece or a small synchronous motor fed by alternating current mains, or again a gearwork provided with a centrifugal regulator for instance.

I will suppose therefore that each station is provided with such a device adapted to provide, with the required accuracy, the uniform rotary movement of a part which I will term the rotor for simplicitys sake.

All the rotors are normally stopped in a given angular position and all carry a call controlling part keyed in a given angular position with reference to the stop position, which is different for the stations which are not to be called simultaneously.

The first current impulse has for its result to release or to start all the rotors, those of the called stations as well as that of the calling station. The second current impulse is sent by the rotor of the calling station and acts only on the station .or stations the rotor of which has at the same moment the above-mentioned call-controlling part in front of the stop position.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the rotor is constituted by a disk 1 keyed to a shaft 2 which is urged to rotate continuously at a substantially constant speed in the direction of'the arrow, but is prevented from doing so-by the stop lever 3 which is normally held back by the T-shaped armature 4 of a polarized electromagnetic relay 5 connected between the wires 6 and 7 of the call circuit, a condenser 8 being preferably inserted in series with the relay 5.

The armature 4 is held in its central position by a spring 9 for which position it retains an annunciator 10 constituted for instance by a shutter closing the call contact when released.

The rotor 1 is provided with a notch 11 the setting of which with reference to the stop lever 3, is adjustable and made to depend on the station which is to be called.

The working of the call selecting device is as follows:

To begin with, the calling station causes a positive impulse to pass through the circuit which makes the armature .4 in all the relays 5 connected with the circuit rock into their lower position. This rocking motion releases all the stop levers 3 and therewith all the rotors 1 integral with said levers.

These rotors begin then rotating simultaneously at the samespeed in the direction of the arrow. The armature 4 is returned into its mean position by the spring 9.

When the calling station sends its second impulse through the circuit, which impulse is a negative one, the different rotors have rotated through substantially equal angles. The action of this second impulse is to make the armature 4 of the difierent polarized electromagnetic relays rock upwards. But the armature cannot rise completely except for those rotors the notch 11 of which is then in front of the bevelled end of the corresponding armature. Therefore only the receivers controlled by such rotors may have their annunciator shutter 10 released through the complete rise of the armature.

The spring 9 returns then the armature 4 into its mean position, whereby the rotors may continue rotating so as to accomplish one whole 110 revolution counted from the start after which they stop.

Several notches 11 may be provided on the periphery of the disk' 1, in particular when several stations are to be called simultaneously or when it is required to call all stations at the same moment.

This general call is provided by means of an auxiliary notch the angular position of which with reference to the corresponding stop lever 3 is the same for all the disks. This notch may be for instance the first one,starting from the stop lever whereby the call is provided with a minimum time lag.

In Fig. 2 which shows tically a called and calling station or a station adapted only for calling, the same parts are used as in Fig. 1 and have been given the same reference numbers asin Fig. 1.

The calling station comprises also a stationary series of call buttons 12 disposed in a ring round the rotor. One of these buttons 13 is shown in its call position where it lies in the patlrof the stop lever 3. The several call buttons are connected with the negative terminal of a battery -14 the other terminal of which is connected with one of the circuit wires, 6 for instance. A second battery 15 is connected through its negative terminalwith the same circuit wire 6 whereas its positive terminal is connected with the armature4ofthe relay 5throughthemainswitch16.

The rotor shaft is connected with the second circuit wire 7.

Thedisklisof insulatiagmaterialcrat least is insulated from ground.

Theworkingofthedevice whenreceivinga callisthesameasinthe case,none of the knobs or buttons being de into its call position.

Theworkingof the devicewhenusedfor calling is as follows:

One ot the buttons 12, say the button 13, correspondingtothe stationtobecalledisflrstdepressed after which the main call switch 16 is closed so as to make current pass through the fol-. lowing circuits, viz. from positive pole of battery 15 through switch 16, thence through armature 4 to lever 3, thence through branch lines and 26 to themain'l toimpress'apositivepotentialon -toitsmain 1"mmthismain7throughrelay5 ofareceivingorcalledstationasinFig.1,thence backtomain6andfrommain6in1ig2back to the negative terminal of battery 15. At the same time an additional circuit is set up from positive of battery 15 through switch 16, parts 4 and 3 and branch 25, from thence through branch27torelay5inFig.2andfromthisrelay back to the negative pole of battery 15. The positive impulse thus provided acts on all the relays 5 and moves all the armatures 4 downwards.

-whereby the rotors of the different apparatuses connected in thejcircuit are released. The motion of the of the calling station itself and the consequent rotation of the lever 3 have as a result a breaking of the circuit of the battery 15 even if the switch 16 is held closed.

After a certain time, the lever 3 comes against the previously depressed button 13 whereby the circuits are again closed, but with a negative feed for the wire '7, over 14-13-3-7. The negative impulse thus provided acts on all the relays 5 and urges all the armatures 4 upwards. As explained hereinabove, with reference to the receiver station, only those armatures can complete their upward movement which correspond to apparatuses the rotor 1 of which has a notch 11 in front of the bevelled end of the armature.

By reason of the preliminary loading of the circuit, it is preferable, as well known in the'art to send the first positive impulse only after closing the circuit with a contrary polarity.

As hereinafter more fully explained, means is also provided to constitute the buttons 12 in a manner such that they remain depressed until they are automatically released by the abutting ofthe lever 3 against them.

Fig. 3 shows how the abovementioned arrangements may be provided for.

As in the case of Fig. 2 the buttons 12 form a ring round the rotor: the depressed button 13 is held down through the notch 17 engaging an annular recessed guide 18 under the action of 'a spring 19 urging the button 13 back into the rest position corresponding to the position of the other buttons while displacing it' transversely in order to engage it against theguide.

When the lever 3 comes against the depressed button 13 it urges it slightly towards the right and releases it from its guide. The button 13 returns into its rest position, whereby the lever 3 is allowed to end the revolution begun.

It is preferable for the circuit not to be permanently connected with the batteries 14 and 15. In this case, the current from the batteries may be sent into a bipolar reversing relay 20 (Fig. 4) the movable contacts 21 and 22' of which are connected with the circuit wires 6 and 7 and are normally cut oil? from the poles of the main battery diagrammatically shown at 23.

By reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the two movable contacts 21 and 22 are connected together like the blades of a throw-over switch and carry an armature member 28 which is interposed between the poles of a reversing polarized relay having a coil 20. When the switch 16 is closed, a local circuit is established from the positive pole of the battery 15 through switch 16 and parts 4 and 3 and from thence through wiring connection to the coil 20, from whence an' electrical connection leads back to the pole of the battery 15. The polarity of the current thus fed is such as to throw the contacts 21 and 22 to the right and cause said contacts to place the positive pole of the main battery 23 in electrical connection with the main '7 and the negative pole of this battery in electrical connection with the main 6. All of the several relays 5 which are connected in multiple across these two mains are energized to depress the armatures 4 and permit rotation of the rotors. As soon as this occurs, the local circuit is broken and the relay 20 de-energized. When the lever 3 comes into engagement with the depressed button 13, a second local circuit of opposite polarity is impressed upon the relay 20 as follows. From negative pole of battery 14 through button 13, lever 3, and from thence to the relay. From the relay 20 current is fed through the connection shown back to the positive pole of the battery 14. The movable contacts 21 and 22 are moved to the left to impress negative potential of the battery 23 upon the main 7 and positive potential upon the main 6. The duration of this current impulse is simply until the lever 3 releases the button 13 and it is pulled back by the spring 19, whereupon this local circuit is broken. During its duration, however, the signal has been sent through such receiving instrument as is in condition to receive it.

Fig. shows a station more particularly adapted for signalling and which may be used as an order transmitter. The device shown comprises a rotor disk 1 provided with as many notches as there are signals to be used, said signals being reproduced at the periphery of a disk 24 rotating integrally with the shaft 2 and a segmentof which alone is visible through a suitable aper ture as shown in Fig. 6. I may also use a hand keyed to shaft 2 and moving over a stationary dial as shown in Fig. 7.

The spring 9 urges the armature 4 back into its mean position only for one direction of motion corresponding to the first current impulse which allows the rotor to start rotating. When thesecond impulse is received, the armature 4 enters one of the notches l1 and remains therein whereby the rotor is held against rotation in the position corresponding to the transmitted signal. At the same time, the shutter 10 is released and closes the circuit of an alarm bell not shown.

The indication of the transmitted signal is retained until the armature is returned into its mean position, either through direct actuation thereof or through the reception of a further positive impulse irom the control station.

Obviously and as apparent from the above description, my invention is by no means limited to the, forms of execution nor to the applications which have been more particularly described. It comprises all modifications thereof which fall fairly within the scope of appended claims.

In particular the substantially uniform rotation of the rotor may be provided by any device such as a clockwork with a speed regulator, a synchronous motor, a motor synchronized through a regulator or even a part moving intermittently and controlled say by a balance.or a vibrating part.

The selection through the difierences in time intervals may be provided by other appropriate or equivalent means without departing from this invention.

Similarly if a sufliciently good synchronization of the diiferent rotors may be ensured as would be the case for instance of synchronous motors fed by the same alternating current mains, the different rotors may be allowed to rotate permanently, the selection of the desired call or signal being effected by a single current impulse sent out at an accurately determined moment or by several impulses sent out at accurately determined moments.

The applications of my invention may also be greatly diversified. It may be applied for instance to asystem of telephonic stations connected with the same circuit of which onlyone may be used for calling.

My invention may also be used for a system of telephonic stations connected with a single circuit, any station being adapted for calling or being called.

My invention may be further used for sending out signals at a distance to one or more stations,

and also for distance controlrsystems of any de-' scription, automatic substations, change-over tariff meters, lighting up and turning down of lamps, supervision of night watches and the like.

What I claimis:

1. In a receiver adapted to be controlled by electric impulses of opposite polarity, the combination of a rotary part provided with a notch and normally urged to rotate at a substantially constant speed, an abutment movable with said rotary part, a polarized relay including an armature, resilient means for normally holding said armature in its mean position to engage with and hold the abutment in restraint. said armature being movableunder the influence of current of one polarity to release the rotary part and permit the same to rotate, and said armature being movable under the influence of current of the opposite polarity to move in the direction of the rotary part and enter into the notch if said notch is juxtaposed therewith, and signalling means operable when the armature enters .said notch.

2. A receiver adapted to be controlled by electric impulses of Opposite polarity, comprising a rotary part provided with a notch and normally urged to rotate at a substantially constant speed, an abutment rigid with the rotary part and rotatable therewith, a polarized relay including an armature, means for normally holding the armature in its mean position to engagewithsaidabutment for the purpose of holding the rotary part in restraint, said armature being movable under the influence of current of one polarity to be disengaged from the abutment to permit the rotary part to rotate, and said armature being movable under the influence of current of the opposite polarity to move in the direction of the rotary part and enter into the notch if said notch is juxtaposed therewith, and an annunciator positioned to be held in elevated position by the armature when in mean position and to be released by said armature when the armature enters the notch in the rotary part for the purpose of then giving the signal.

3. A combined transmitter and receiver comprising a rotary part provided with a notch and normally urged to rotate at a substantially constant speed, a projection on said rotary part, a polarized relay including an armature, means for normally holding said armature in its mean position to engage with the projection and hold the rotary part in restraint, said armature being movable under the influence of current of one polarity to release the rotary part and permit the same to rotate and said armature being movable under the influence of current of the opposite polarity to move in the direction of the rotary part and enter into the-notch if said notch is juxtaposed therewith, signalling means controlled by the armature and causing thegiving of a signal when the armature enters said notch, a plurality of contacts selectively movable into the path of said projection as said projection rotates with the rotary member, and a circuit including said projection and said contacts and adapted to be closed through engagement of said projection with a selected contact.

4. A combined transmitter and receiver comprising a rotary part provided with a notch and normally urged to rotate at a substantially constant speed, a projection on said rotary part, a polarized relay includingan armature, means for normally holding said armature in its mean position to engage with the projection and hold the rotary part in restraint, said'armature being movable under the influence of current of one polarity to release the rotary part and permit the same to rotate and said armature being movable under the influence of current of the opposite polarity to move in the direction of the rotary part and enter into the notch if said notch is juxtaposed therewith, signalling means controlled by the armature and causing the giving of a signal when the armature enters said notch, a plurality of contacts selectively movable into the path of said projection as said projection rotates with the rotary member, and a circuit under the influence of current of the opposite including said projection and said contacts and adapted to be closed through engagement of said projection with a selected contact, means for selectively locking said contacts individually in the path of said projection, said locking means being releasable through engagement of the projection therewith, and means for returning each contact to normal position exterior of the path of travel of said projection.

5. A combined transmitter and receiver comprising a rotary part provided with a notch and normally urged to rotate at a substantially constant speed, a projection on said rotary part, a polarized relay including an armature, means for normally holding said armature in its mean position to engage with the projection and hold the rotary part in restraint, said armature being movable under the influence of current of one polarity to release the rotary part and permit the same to rotate and said armature being movable polarity to move in the direction of the rotary part and enter into the notch if said notch is juxtaposed therewith, signalling means controlled by the armature and causing the giving of a signal when the armature enters said notch, a plurality of contacts selectively movable into the path of said projection as said projection rotates with the rotary member, a circuit including said projection and said contacts and adapted to be closed through engagement of said projection with a selected contact, a polarized reversing relay included in said circuit, a pole changing switch operated by said reversing relay, and a circuit including the pole changing switch and also including the polarized relay which controls said armature and adapted to feed current of opposite polarity alternately through said latter relay.

CONSTANT BATTEGAY. 

